Is Qin Feng a fool?
Of course not!
The reason he was willing to pay them more than the market price to build roads had only one purpose!
To stimulate the economy!
The territory of the Han, or rather, You Province, was too vast, too vast.
Just galloping on horseback within You Province, it might take a whole day to cross a single commandery.
Therefore,
Even if Qin Feng wanted to synchronize road construction, he had no one to oversee it.
His soldiers were loyal enough, but most of them were illiterate.
They were experts at fighting and killing,
But supervising construction?
It wouldn't be long before the site supervisor was chopped to death by them.
Why?
Corruption!
No matter where or when, corruption could never be eradicated.
It was human nature!
Even Qin Feng couldn't guarantee absolute incorruptibility from his loyal subordinates.
Because loyalty and corruption, in essence, did not conflict.
And,
If they could get the job done while being corrupt, Qin Feng wouldn't be too bothered.
But the problem was, they couldn't!
So,
After much consideration, Qin Feng decided it was better to involve the noble families.
This road segment, what's the budget? As long as you complete it on time, I'll give you the money!
But if you fail to complete it?
Apologies!
Not only will you have to return the advance payments, but you'll also have to compensate me double for my losses.
What?
You won't compensate?
Do you really think the sword in my hand is just for show?
Do you understand what it means to have your clan exterminated?
As for whether any noble families would dare to take on such a risky venture,
Qin Feng wasn't worried at all!
Profit!
If three percent wasn't enough, then four percent. If four percent wasn't enough, then five percent. If that was still not enough, then double it!
As long as there was sufficient profit, someone would dare to take the risk.
In any case,
No matter how much money was spent on these roads, the government would never lose.
They would still collect taxes!
Resist taxes?
Heh!
Too naive!
If you dare to resist taxes today, your beautiful young wife will belong to someone else tomorrow.
Won't come to You Province?
That's easy to handle too!
One of the reasons Qin Feng took down the Zhen family was considering the merchants' potential protest.
Since you protest and you don't come, then don't blame us for spending our money on others.
After all,
You Province, which was developing everywhere and mining everywhere, had plenty of money at this time.
Because Qin Feng spent most of the collected money on wages.
With money in their hands, the common people naturally spent, and this was the perfect time for merchants to enter the market.
The only thing they had to worry about was when Qin Feng would go bankrupt!
But would Qin Feng go bankrupt?
How could that be!
If it really came to bankruptcy, his large army would simply go out and seize territory.
Just like now.
The mobilization of nearly two hundred thousand troops from the First and Second Legions stunned everyone.
The Yellow Turban rebels, whose rear had been pricked, were almost hopping with rage, wishing they could kill Qin Feng.
Because of the First Legion's entry, the Yellow Turban rebels were now in a dilemma.
Before them were the imperial allied forces, and behind them was the You Province First Legion. If they were to be sandwiched...
"Big Brother!"
Zhang Liang, who had successfully rendezvoused with Zhang Jiao, was excitedly suggesting:
"We can't wait any longer. We must take Luoyang in one fell swoop!"
"Yes!"
"General Tiangong, if we don't act soon, they will surround us!"
"..."
Listening to the hurried discussions of his brothers, the leader Zhang Jiao's brow was deeply furrowed.
He was also hesitant!
Although he now had over four hundred thousand Yellow Turban soldiers under his command, he still wasn't confident of capturing Luoyang.
Or rather,
Even if Luoyang was captured, he wasn't confident of holding onto the empire.
He knew his own people.
These people, whom he had incited with his teachings, were essentially more like fierce bandits.
They might be good at plundering and killing,
But could they govern the empire?
It would probably fall apart in a few years!
Therefore,
What Zhang Jiao was thinking about the most at this moment was negotiating with the Han court.
Just like that person from You Province!
Give me Jizhou, and I won't attack you. Then Huang Tian and Cang Tian can still be good friends.
Unfortunately,
Let alone his subordinates who were all brawn and no brain, even his two brothers disagreed.
They were all dazzled by the term "founding hero"!
In their eyes,
If they could overthrow the Han and establish the Yellow Turban Empire, they would achieve lasting fame.
That was a matter of honoring their ancestors!
At that time,
They, like those corrupt officials—no, great officials—would be able to oppress the locals and exploit the common people!
Therefore,
They were very dissatisfied with Zhang Jiao's proposal of ceasing hostilities for only Jizhou.
Oh?
Only Jizhou?
If you are the Lord of Jizhou, what will become of us?
Prefect?
We probably wouldn't even become Prefects!
There were too many people!
Zhang Jiao had more than a dozen trusted generals alone. How could such a small territory like Jizhou be divided?
"Alas~!"
After another meeting ended unhappily, Zhang Jiao let out a deep sigh.
Nominally, he was the leader of the entire Yellow Turban movement, an indispensable symbol of the Yellow Turban army.
But that was just propaganda!
Internally,
Apart from the subordinates who followed him from the beginning, most of the rest were here for profit.
If he, Zhang Jiao, could no longer provide sufficient benefits, he believed those people would turn against him in an instant.
Even,
Zhang Jiao suspected that some of these people had already received bribes from the imperial court.
This was also one of the reasons why he advocated for negotiations with the court.
What if those people attacked them from behind while they were assaulting the city...
"No!"
"We absolutely cannot attack Luoyang!"
Thinking of that terrifying scenario, Zhang Jiao gritted his teeth and, as if making a firm decision, shouted:
"Go and summon General Digong and General Rengong!"
"Yes!"
The guards standing outside, their pupils contracted, but they quickly left.
...
Qin Feng could no longer concern himself with the turbulent undercurrents within the Yellow Turbans.
He was very busy!
Besides planning the cities for road construction, he also had to deal with a lot of miscellaneous matters.
The reason?
It was because Li Xiuning suddenly threw in the towel!
She claimed she was feeling unwell and needed to recuperate and study.
Not only did she stop training the female soldiers, but she also stopped managing the daily operations of the governor's mansion.
"No!"
"This cannot continue!"
Looking up from a pile of bamboo slips, Qin Feng sent for an old Chinese medicine doctor from Zhuo County late at night.
"Um, Xiuning ah~!"
Bringing the hastily summoned old doctor to the backyard, Qin Feng gently knocked on the door.
"You said you weren't feeling well, so I had someone find a doctor to examine you!"
"???"
Li Xiuning, who had a conflicted expression inside the room, was suddenly filled with question marks.
There's such a thing?
I just wanted to secure my position, and you actually brought a doctor?
You're ruthless!
Despite feeling a bit guilty in her heart, Li Xiuning could only reluctantly open the door.